East coast USA in shutdown ahead of Sandy

Hurricane Sandy could become the largest storm ever to hit the United States – and in New York they are taking no chances.

The city’s transit system has been closed. Bridges and tunnels have been shut and the Amtrak passenger train service has been suspended.

It has been announced the New York Stock Exchange will be closed on Monday and possibly on Tuesday as well, as a result of the weather conditions.

“This is a serious and big storm,” said President Barack Obama on a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington,“and my first message is to all the people across the Eastern Seaboard, Mid-Atlantic, going north, that you need to take this very seriously.”

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered the evacuation of 375 thousand people from low-lying parts of the city.

“We are heading out to Jersey to my sister’s place,” said one man as he helped his young family into the car,“same place we went to for Irene, definitely think it is going to be a little bit more intense thant the last time but personally, if we didn’t have the kids, we probably would be sticking it out here.”

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have reportedly cancelled all flights from London to the East coast states on Monday.

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